Everyman Repertory Theatre will present the world premiere of “Hold Onto Your Hat!” The one-woman show, written and performed by Andrea Itkin of Camden, will open its statewide tour Saturday, Sept. 1, at 7:30 p.m. at the Marsh River Theatre, 24 Monroe Highway/Route 139.

The show is part memoir, part social commentary, written from the perspective of youth through old age — delivered all in rhyme and a bit of song with a lot of humor. “Andrea kept bringing in these poems to our Actors’ Studio last year and reading them, and we were all just blown away by how good they were; how funny, how sad, how, sometimes, angry,” said Everyman Rep’s artistic director Paul Hodgson. “We knew we had to help her get it on stage and in front of people.”

Itkin said that although she had written some plays and monologues, short stories and poems over the years, she had never attempted rhymes or songs before starting work on this show.

“It was initially inspired by Patti Smith’s memoir, ‘Just Kids,’ which got me thinking about that time of my life and experimenting with expressing experience in a new way,” she said.

“Hold Onto Your Hat!” is a multimedia production featuring photographs by Cig Harvey and Scott Anthony Smith; collages by Tammam Azzam; paintings by Natasha Mayers; a short film by Dylan Itkin; and original recordings by Mary Anne Driscoll and Curran Reynolds of Body Stuff. It is directed by Scott Anthony Smith.

Itkin has been writing and performing in Maine for over 35 years. Most recently, she was in the reading of “Lost and Guided” by Irene Kapustina; and has had roles in many Everyman productions including Givola in “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui,” Nat in “Rabbit Hole” and Carrie Watts in “The Trip to Bountiful.”

Tickets are $20; $10 students, available online at everymanrep.org. The tour continues Sept. 20 through 23 at the Portland Ballet Studio Theater; Sept. 29 and 30 at the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland; Oct. 5 at the UMaine Hutchinson Center in Belfast; Oct. 18 and 19 at The Theater Project in Brunswick; and Oct. 27 and 28 at the Michael Klahr Center in Augusta.

I had such a great time visiting the island of North Haven for the first time as Everyman Repertory Theatre presented two encore performances of Rajiv Joseph’s Animals Out of Paper at Waterman’s Community Center in August.

We had great feedback from our staged reading at the Farnsworth Arts Museum in Rockland back in March and the company decided we’d give it another go. Everyman Rep has taken two productions previously to North Haven and now affectionately call it their ‘overseas tour.’

We were housed locally, which was very gracious of those willing to open their homes to us for a couple nights. We took in the quaint island atmosphere, with food and shopping just a few steps in any direction from Waterman’s.

We didn’t pack the place, as it was also the time of year when island residents and visitors are heading out for the season, but we had good turnouts for both performances and again had great feedback and conversation after.

Cheers to the cast and crew and all those who helped us! I very much look forward to visiting again.

The Night Kitchen is a full length, original musical comedy. The cast comprises some of the very best acting talent you will see anywhere. Actors from New York City, England and around the state are joining forces to bring you this wonderful theatrical experience!

The musical explores the inner workings of the restaurant business, and the importance that food plays in people’s lives. It also provides loads of laughs and features imaginatively costumed characters from the kitchen coming alive and singing about their joys and sorrows – a frying pan who dreams of flambéing, a dish and spoon who fall in love, and the Pasta Nostra Clan plotting to take over the kitchen.

If you haven’t had a chance to see me onstage this year, you’ve only got a few chances left!

On OCTOBER 28TH, I’ll be playing campaign manager Dick Jensen in a staged reading of Gore Vidal’s THE BEST MAN. It is the second play of a two night election special performed by Everyman Repertory Theatre at the Rockport Opera House. They are expecting a heavy political turnout with some big names in state and local politics in attendance.

Also, on DECEMBER 9TH & 10TH, I’ll be playing restaurant owner J.P. in the original musical comedy THE NIGHT KITCHEN, written and directed by John Burstein (aka Slim Goodbody). Performances will be held at the Camden Opera House. All proceeds to benefit Meals on Wheels.

I’d like to continue to expand my personal portfolio and website in 2016 with new series and new clients. If you know of anyone who is interested in portfolio work, has a creative idea about a photo shoot or series, or has business needs, have them connect with me through my website, www.theaceoftrades.smugmug.com.